A coin with simply designed, complementary Bee habitats

Obverse

The obverse of the coin features the country name in Finnish and English (Suomi / Finland) above the year – 1994 in this case, although the coin was issued from 1990 – 2001. Near the bottom is the initial M, for Raimo Makkonen, Mint Master, Mint of Finland.

To the left of the text, is a Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). This beautiful but poisonous flower is the national flower of Finland.

“Right after the early spring bloomers, is the lily of the valley’s time to shine. It starts out as a straw-like leaf sheath sprouting from the ground, which soon opens up into leaves. The characteristic tongue-like shape of the leaves has lent the species it´s Finnish name kielo (kieli, in Finnish, stands for tongue). Lilies of the valley bloom in May, producing little white flowers that have a strong and pleasant scent. The species has been chosen as the national flower of Finland, so feel free to kneel in front of it for a closer look. But do keep in mind that the lily of the valley is poisonous!

The lily of the valley – like many other plants – protects itself against herbivores with the help of chemical compounds. All parts of the species, including the orange-red berries, are poisonous. Only one species of beetle, the bright red Lilioceris merdigera, has specialised in feeding on lilies of the valley. The lily of the valley’s poisonous compounds affect the heart, which is why the plant was used for medicinal purposes in previous centuries. For example, the species has been used to treat heart disorders, in addition to which its flowers have been used to make sneezing powder.”

Lily of the Valley is a hardy herbaceous perennial often planted as a ground cover for areas of dry shade. The nectar bearing flowers emit an alluring fragrance and are very attractive to bees. Which brings us to the reverse of the coin.

Reverse

The reverse contains the value, 10 Penniä or Penni. To the left is a geometric honeycomb pattern.

We have featured a bee previously, and from a Nordic country too – on the 1962 Norway 10 Øre. On this coin we have the bee’s most wondrous creation, honeycomb.

People have been using honey for over 15 000 years. Honey was the only known sweetener until the 13th century. The health benefits of honey have been known for thousands of years. Beekeeping begun, when people learned that natural beehives could be transferred to a hollow tree in the garden or to a dome made from hay. Collecting honey from these nests was difficult though. About a hundred years ago beekeepers started building their hives from layered squares and the production really took off, as the stacked hives made taking care of the bees easier. Collecting the honey was also more effective.

The simple, elegant design and the connection between the two sides of this coin work really well together. Similar to the 1983 Finland 5 Markkaa with the ice breaker on one side paired with the flock of sea birds on the other. What is your favourite coin with “connected” designs on each side? Share in the comments below!